Hi Folks -!
How's life?
Hope you are doing well.
There's a curious churning in my mind since the last few days.
Tell me, how do you react,
When someone who has made a tremendous impact on your thought process and set you on the path of positive change dies?
When an era comes to a close?
How much do you grieve?
How do you grieve?
Do you grieve?
I have been practicing Vipassana meditation since the last 18 years.
Vipassana means to look at things as they are.
Over 2560 years ago, it was rediscovered by Prince Siddharth Gautama who was enlightened by it and became The Buddha.
For 2500 years, it stayed in its purest form in neighbouring Myanmar only through the tradition of Guru - Shishya or the Teacher - Student format, who passed it on without changing it in any way.
There were not many, there was no name and glory, there was no pomp and pageantry, no riches and rituals, and the Gurus strictly maintained the purity.
As prophesied, the technique came back to India in 1969, to be established in its land of birth again and then on to spread its light throughout the world.
When I did my first course, the senior teacher, Shri. S.N.Goenkaji who was instrumental in bringing it here, was active and visited new centers, meditated there and met the wide - eyed meditators who had been overwhelmed by the meditation.
For most, it is the first or the only times when they had been completely silent, had faced themselves as they truly were, battled their hidden demons and come out amazed and victorious.
The realization that the technique they have been so generously taught without charging a penny will work forever in every situation which they will face in future and keep them balanced is - well, after experiencing it, easy to understand and be joyous about.
There is an immense sense of gratitude for the teacher, the Guru, who has spent his whole life working tirelessly so that he could bring this to them.
Like all his predecessors, Goenkaji, or Guruji as he was called by all, stayed away from taking credit.
He ensured the wonder of personal experience, the realization that the technique actually delivers what it quietly claims, the respect and the gratitude which renders many quite speechless, went to his teacher Sayagi U Ba Khin, the original teacher The Buddha, and for the technique of Vipassana itself.
There were no huge statues or pictures in the meditation centers, no songs in his praise.
The courses which last 10, 20, 30 or 45 days run entirely on voluntary donations. This is truly awesome, as the efforts put in to give rooms/dorms, linen, washing facilities, and food is mind boggling.
It is not easy to make ends meet, but Guruji insisted on this aspect to ensure the technique, the Dhamma remained pure and accessible to all.
What makes a genuine Guru?
Specially in the field of spirituality.
I think he or she is someone who practices what he preaches till his last breath.
His own learning does not stop even after he reaches a point when he starts to teach and he continues to renew himself every day, many times a day.
He only shows the path in very clear, simple language, clears doubts and lets the student learn at his / her own pace.
He does not demand complete surrender to him / her overtly or covertly, does not control and insists on the student being clear and independent in his / her mind and thoughts.
He corrects, if he finds the progress is too slow or too fast, but does not overtly interfere.
He does not leave any interpretation to individual imagination.
He does not allow any fear, any mystery to be created, on the contrary, helps demystify all the riddles.
He shuns any cult to be built around his personality.
I could go on, I suppose.
Do you remember the posts on the 7 chakras?
What each one stands for?
The lower three are of our basic instincts - Fear, Money and Sex, Will and Power.
The funny part is, from the 2nd Chakra energy, it is possible to jump directly to the energy of the 6th one, that of divinity, without working long on and clearing the blocks and balancing the others in between.
So there are those who believe on one hand that they have special spiritual powers ( siddhis ) and on the other, have no control over their libido.
They may justify their behaviour till the cows come home, but they have not reached anywhere special on the spiritual path and their exploiting people is wrong.
The payback time comes sooner than they expect, maybe in this life or the next ones, but the retribution is sharp.
I do believe now that we get the Guru we are ready for.
It depends on how gross or subtle, muddied or clear are our vibrations that go out and connect with him/her.
I had searched for long, had found someone or other many looked up to, but I was not ready to surrender everything at their feet.
I believed I had created my Karmas and if someone else was to clear them, I would not change at all.
I am not really given to self - pity and helplessness.
I would stagnate, remain in a void but imagine myself to be progressing on the spiritual path towards heaven because someone else said so.
Remaining in fear and longing an entire life for that illusory heaven was not very appetizing.
I am more practical, suspicious, you could say, and wanted to experience whatever it was now, be convinced with my ticking brain in this very life time.
Vipassana gave me that freedom and ability.
Guruji allowed me - and millions like me to follow this beautiful liberating path of The Buddha.
May he be happy, peaceful and liberated.
How's life?
Hope you are doing well.
There's a curious churning in my mind since the last few days.
Tell me, how do you react,
When someone who has made a tremendous impact on your thought process and set you on the path of positive change dies?
When an era comes to a close?
How much do you grieve?
How do you grieve?
Do you grieve?
I have been practicing Vipassana meditation since the last 18 years.
Vipassana means to look at things as they are.
Over 2560 years ago, it was rediscovered by Prince Siddharth Gautama who was enlightened by it and became The Buddha.
For 2500 years, it stayed in its purest form in neighbouring Myanmar only through the tradition of Guru - Shishya or the Teacher - Student format, who passed it on without changing it in any way.
There were not many, there was no name and glory, there was no pomp and pageantry, no riches and rituals, and the Gurus strictly maintained the purity.
As prophesied, the technique came back to India in 1969, to be established in its land of birth again and then on to spread its light throughout the world.
When I did my first course, the senior teacher, Shri. S.N.Goenkaji who was instrumental in bringing it here, was active and visited new centers, meditated there and met the wide - eyed meditators who had been overwhelmed by the meditation.
For most, it is the first or the only times when they had been completely silent, had faced themselves as they truly were, battled their hidden demons and come out amazed and victorious.
The realization that the technique they have been so generously taught without charging a penny will work forever in every situation which they will face in future and keep them balanced is - well, after experiencing it, easy to understand and be joyous about.
There is an immense sense of gratitude for the teacher, the Guru, who has spent his whole life working tirelessly so that he could bring this to them.
Like all his predecessors, Goenkaji, or Guruji as he was called by all, stayed away from taking credit.
He ensured the wonder of personal experience, the realization that the technique actually delivers what it quietly claims, the respect and the gratitude which renders many quite speechless, went to his teacher Sayagi U Ba Khin, the original teacher The Buddha, and for the technique of Vipassana itself.
There were no huge statues or pictures in the meditation centers, no songs in his praise.
The courses which last 10, 20, 30 or 45 days run entirely on voluntary donations. This is truly awesome, as the efforts put in to give rooms/dorms, linen, washing facilities, and food is mind boggling.
It is not easy to make ends meet, but Guruji insisted on this aspect to ensure the technique, the Dhamma remained pure and accessible to all.
What makes a genuine Guru?
Specially in the field of spirituality.
I think he or she is someone who practices what he preaches till his last breath.
His own learning does not stop even after he reaches a point when he starts to teach and he continues to renew himself every day, many times a day.
He only shows the path in very clear, simple language, clears doubts and lets the student learn at his / her own pace.
He does not demand complete surrender to him / her overtly or covertly, does not control and insists on the student being clear and independent in his / her mind and thoughts.
He corrects, if he finds the progress is too slow or too fast, but does not overtly interfere.
He does not leave any interpretation to individual imagination.
He does not allow any fear, any mystery to be created, on the contrary, helps demystify all the riddles.
He shuns any cult to be built around his personality.
I could go on, I suppose.
Do you remember the posts on the 7 chakras?
What each one stands for?
The lower three are of our basic instincts - Fear, Money and Sex, Will and Power.
The funny part is, from the 2nd Chakra energy, it is possible to jump directly to the energy of the 6th one, that of divinity, without working long on and clearing the blocks and balancing the others in between.
So there are those who believe on one hand that they have special spiritual powers ( siddhis ) and on the other, have no control over their libido.
They may justify their behaviour till the cows come home, but they have not reached anywhere special on the spiritual path and their exploiting people is wrong.
The payback time comes sooner than they expect, maybe in this life or the next ones, but the retribution is sharp.
I do believe now that we get the Guru we are ready for.
It depends on how gross or subtle, muddied or clear are our vibrations that go out and connect with him/her.
I had searched for long, had found someone or other many looked up to, but I was not ready to surrender everything at their feet.
I believed I had created my Karmas and if someone else was to clear them, I would not change at all.
I am not really given to self - pity and helplessness.
I would stagnate, remain in a void but imagine myself to be progressing on the spiritual path towards heaven because someone else said so.
Remaining in fear and longing an entire life for that illusory heaven was not very appetizing.
I am more practical, suspicious, you could say, and wanted to experience whatever it was now, be convinced with my ticking brain in this very life time.
Vipassana gave me that freedom and ability.
Guruji allowed me - and millions like me to follow this beautiful liberating path of The Buddha.
May he be happy, peaceful and liberated.
1 comment:
rahiman baat agamy ki , kahan sunan ki naahi. je jaanat te kahat nahin, kahat te jaanat nahi. katha sunate sunate umar bit gayi . ab tak katha ka marm na samjhe. in guruon se bhagwan duniya ko bachaye
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